Crossing the Threshold
by Casa Circe
Summary: "You don't have to be alone tonight." (Alternate scene for "A Means to an End.")
1. Chapter 1

Crossing the Threshold

 _Note:_ _Happy Birthday, Dilandau!_

 _So I've decided to re-enter the abyss of Merlandau smut writing and make another attempt at an explicit fic for them. I'm too lazy to start developing their attraction from scratch so this will be an alternate take on "A Means to an End." In my defense, I had considered this option for the story but chose to follow a different path. But now, I feel like it was a wasted opportunity. So I'm going to pursue it and I'm really quite excited about this, too._

 _But I've decided to write in the past tense again and not adopt the style I used in "A Means" because as interesting an experiment as that was, I found that I'm still more comfortable writing in the past tense. Since it's a separate story anyway, it won't seem so strange, hopefully._

 _And fair warning, there will be cheesy dialogue and just general cheesiness but I hope it won't seem completely ridiculous. This is a crack ship but I try to keep them in character. But also, this is a crack ship so weird things can happen._

 _This starts from the end of Chapter Three where Merle has just seen Dilandau in a miserable state, muttering about being alone, and just being very, very depressed. I had considered a scenario where she would do something about what she saw and that is what this is. This is also my attempt at giving them a more emotional connection before the smexytimes. There's some potential here and I hope it doesn't seem too far-fetched._

 _Anyway, here it is. Enjoy._

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She couldn't sleep.

Dilandau's pale, distraught face remained fresh in her memory and she could not get him out of her head. She had never seen him so miserable and she was shaken by the experience. Something about the tone of his voice when he muttered "alone" almost seemed like a cry for help.

She realized that her attachment to him had gone deeper than she had anticipated. She had seen him in a rare moment of suffering and she found that she could not rest until she somehow rectified the situation.

"That's it," she decided firmly, "I need to do something about this."

She quickly slipped on a robe as she had been sleeping in the nude and quietly crept out of her room. The hall outside was deserted, as it would be at such an hour. The cat-girl moved silently through the halls until she reached his room, place she had often imagined entering but never really dared to.

As she stood before his door, she hesitated, her hand poised over the doorknob. Suddenly, she was unsure of what she was doing there and she felt overcome by anxiety. She simply stared at the door for a few moments, struggling to put her thoughts together and calm her beating heart. Was this really a good idea? What exactly was she going to do? What would she even tell him?

The whole situation made such little sense and she was on the verge of turning around and running away when her keen ears perked up, catching the sound of sobbing from within the room. She gasped with surprise but she regained with her resolve. She took a deep breath before opening the door and entering.

Dilandau looked up in puzzlement.

He was sitting in bed, hugging his knees and trembling as he tried to shake off painful visions and memories. On such nights as these, he knew he would not be getting any sleep and he could only struggle to forget all he had seen. And as accustomed as he was to being alone, solitude brought no comfort.

He stared incredulously at Merle and she returned his gaze with concern.

If she had believed he looked miserable earlier that evening, he looked even worse now. Eyes swollen, cheeks streaked with angry tears, his entire body trembling slightly, he looked completely exhausted but unable o find any rest. He looked terrible, and she knew the prudent thing would be to leave him be. But she wasn't feeling particularly prudent.

Taking advantage of the young man's shock, Merle approached him tentatively. His chest was bare and he only wore loose, dark pants. As he watched her come nearer, his posture stiffened defensively and he frowned.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, more surprised and confused than angry.

"I…," Merle began uncertainly, "I…needed to see you."

She had reached the edge of his bed but dared not move forward. He sat up straight now and was looking at her suspiciously, his eyes narrowing further.

"Why?" he demanded sternly.

Merle paused but she resolved that tonight was a time for some honesty. "I wanted to make sure you were all right."

His eyes widened slightly at this. She seemed sincere enough but he was still mistrustful of her because he could not figure out why she would even care.

"I told you before," Dilandau said curtly, "I don't need your pity."

"That's not what this is," Merle insisted, inching closer to him.

"What is it, then?" he asked.

"Please," the cat-girl said, extending her hand towards him, "let me help you."

Dilandau scoffed, trying his best to act completely unaffected by her words and gestures. He couldn't bring himself to believe that she genuinely felt any concern for him, despite her presence and the sincerity of her tone. It was impossible. Not after everything that had happened. He couldn't allow himself to believe in that.

"I don't need your help," he said, turning away from her, "No one can help me."

But before Dilandau could turn away from her completely, Merle climbed on the bed and grabbed him by the shoulders. So taken aback was he by this gesture that he held grabbed her arms as well, for balance.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded angrily, attempting to push her away, "Don't touch me! What do you want?"

"I keep telling you," she replied stubbornly, her grip firm on his shoulders, "Let me help you."

"I don't need your help," he said, but slightly less forcefully than before, "Why don't you just leave me alone?"

"But that's just it," Merle argued.

"What?" he asked in puzzlement, looking at her directly.

"You…you're always alone and I think you hate it," Merle said softly, "But you don't have to be alone tonight."

Dilandau stared long and hard at the cat-girl he had somehow held in his arms. There was a fiercely determined look in her eyes and yet there was also something he had never expected to see from anyone, especially her. It was something he could not yet define, something like warmth. Some part of him had always sought this but he never would have expected to find it here and with her. It was all too strange.

Merle knew she had struck a chord. Dilandau's shock and silence emboldened her and while the silver-haired man attempted to process what was happening, she slid her arms around his neck and pulled him into an embrace.

"What!" he protested as she held him tighter.

Again, he was shocked by the gesture and her audacity. He tried to wriggle out of the embrace but she held on tightly.

"You've gone crazy," he muttered angrily, still trying to break away, but with feebler attempts.

Merle held on as firmly as she could though her heart was beating wildly. She didn't know what had possessed her to be so forward but she knew that she needed to see this through. She also knew that he was more than strong enough to push her away if that was what he really wanted. His hesitation only gave her more encouragement.

After a few more clumsy attempts to break free, Dilandau stopped with an exasperated sigh. As preposterous as this whole thing was, he didn't hate it. And if anything, it brought a comfort he had never expected to find. And part of him said that it might be better for him to stop fighting it.

He grunted before he slowly, reluctantly returned the hug.

It was Merle's turn to be surprised but she was overwhelmed with relief and excitement. She had not known what would happen though she had certainly had her hopes. Initially, she had thought that she would only try to speak to him, but for some reason she seemed to be lacking self-restraint that night. And yet, somehow her recklessness was begin rewarded.

Her pulse quickened when she felt him lean his forehead on her shoulder as he pulled her closer to him. She felt him tense and then begin trembling slightly, as if fighting the sobs that threatened to come out once more. The cat-girl was incredibly moved by this show of trust, this rare moment of vulnerability. She could not imagine the kind of memories or nightmares that tormented someone as self-assured as Dilandau, what horrors had reduced him to such a state of misery.

He clung to her tightly, desperately, as if trying to steady himself as he shook.

"I'm here," she said softly, "I'm here for you."

She stroked his back gently and whispered soothing words to him, all while trying to calm her beating heart. She had never been held like this before, like she was truly needed, even wanted. While she was no stranger to trying to comfort a troubled soul, she also found herself consoled and overwhelmed by his presence, his firm grip on her something she had also needed for quite some time. He held her as if he was drowning and she was the only thing keeping him afloat.

For months, she had been drawn to him but she had refused to acknowledge that this was any more than a physical need. Holding him now and having him hold her, she knew that what she felt had been gradually deepening. He was a mess but she had never wanted him more.

And only now was she ready to give in; now that she knew that he felt something too.

At length, his trembling subsided and his breathing grew steadier. He loosened his grip on the cat-girl but did not let go completely. They remained locked in an embrace, each sensing what they wanted to do next but still holding back, at least for the moment.

"Why are you still here?" he whispered softly.

Merle released him from the hug so that she could hold his face in her hands. He made no objection and steadily held her gaze.

"Maybe," she whispered back, "maybe I'm lonely too."


	2. Chapter 2

Crossing the Threshold

 _Note:_ _Happy Birthday, Merle!_

 _I know it's been a while since I last updated this story and it's been a struggle to get the nerve to write it again even if I already have a clear idea of how it's going to play out. Again, I'm still not completely at ease with writing explicit stories though this is an effective exercise in developing that skill. Hopefully, I'm improving, but either way, it's still an interesting challenge._

 _This story will have four chapters and I've recently found the motivation to continue it properly. I've set some deadlines for myself which is the most effective way to push me into writing. And I'd like to get the story finished in a proper time frame so I don't have too many unfinished works here. So here's the second chapter, which isn't the really explicit part yet (but there will be smut, I assure you), but some scenes leading up to that. I've had all this planned in my head for a while but I always struggle with execution so hopefully this reads as well as I imagined it, or even just half as well. Also forgive the cheesiness as I imagined that Merle would be a bit cheesy in her thought process (hopefully that's not too out of character.)_

 _This is mostly from Merle's POV though we also catch glimpses of Dilandau's feelings as well. But she was always the main instigator of the action in the story, taking all the initiative so I feel it's timely to post this on her birthday. The third chapter will be posted sometime in July and the final chapter, I hope, I will be posting on Dilandau's birthday in August. It's also a neat wrap up for the story since that would make the writing of this last exactly one year. I will try my best to keep to that deadline._

 _But for now, hope you enjoy this chapter and please do let me know what you think._

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Merle saw her chance and she seized it, while she still had the nerve. She kissed him, pressing her lips to his forcefully, daring to do what she realized that she had truly wanted by coming to his room in the first place.

Dilandau's eyes widened and for a few moments he was too stunned to react. Merle felt him tense so she reluctantly pulled back, nervous and apprehensive about his reaction. Her heart beat wildly, and she suddenly feared that she had been too eager and that she had completely misread the signals he had been sending her.

But to her relief, there was no repulsion in his eyes, only confusion and doubt. He stared at her for a few moments, trying to decide how he should react. The, seeing the expectant look in the cat-girl's eyes, he thought, "To hell with it!" and pulled her into a kiss.

It was frenzied and messy but still unmistakably passionate. It had been a while since either of them had done this so it started out as a clumsy affair. They bumped noses awkwardly, at times their teeth got in the way, their tongues were all over the place, and they sometimes weren't sure about where to put their hands, but nothing deterred them from continuing until they found the right technique, until they were able to properly pour out all their emotions and revel in this newfound warmth.

Dilandau brought Merle closer, keeping her in a tight embrace which she keenly returned, her hands roaming his bare back eagerly, having wanted to touch his pale skin for ages and finally taking advantage of the opportunity. They had both needed this for a while and they kissed each other hungrily and desperately, as if trying to make up for lost time.

Now having the freedom to show her feelings and desires, Merle did not hesitate. She showed her enthusiasm openly, having denied herself all of this for too long.

She was very expressive, as was customary for those of her species, and it had been counter-intuitive of her to conceal her desires for so long. But the situation had been too unusual and the history between them so complicated that she had not dared to act on all these surprising but powerful feelings.

She had even been reluctant to acknowledge them as anything more than raw, physical needs. But even those had to be satisfied, and the more she suppressed them, the more they had grown and developed into something more powerful than she had ever felt. It was frightening and exciting at the same time.

She did not know how Dilandau had come to return her desires, only that he did and that was all that really mattered. Perhaps she was taking advantage of his vulnerability in this moment of complete loneliness and despair. Was she using him somehow for her own personal gratification? Or did she truly care for him enough to want to be there?

Perhaps she was bringing him a comfort that he desperately longed for. What she was certain of was that she had wanted him and that this was the fulfillment of months of pent-up desires and frustrations. And surely, considering the way he reciprocated her actions, he wanted her too, somehow, and this warmth they shared was completely mutual.

Surely there was no harm in them taking comfort from each other in such a lonely hour. They both felt so desolate and the world seemed so cold. And while there were other options available to her, Merle had long since decided that, for some crazy reason, Dilandau was the one she truly wanted. They would not be betraying anyone but themselves if they did not give in now, Merle justified.

Her thought process was becoming repetitive because she no longer wanted to think about anything. She just wanted to immerse herself in this new experience. All these convoluted rationalizations and doubtful thoughts dissipated as the cat-girl felt her companion turn his attention to her neck. He began to move his tongue across the soft flesh between her neck and her shoulder, and then Merle became completely oblivious to the world around her.

The cat-girl felt one of his hands move tentatively towards her chest and she immediately brought it to one of her breasts encouragingly. Merle let out a loud meow of satisfaction as she felt Dilandau squeeze her breast and then caress it gently through the soft fabric of her robe while he maintained his attentions on her neck. She pulled him closer to her, her hands continuing to roam around his back, enjoying the warmth of his skin.

She was so glad that her impulsive visit to him had turned out so well and she wondered now why she had never dared attempt it earlier. As Dilandau touched her, Merle forgot why she had ever hesitated to initiate all this for months. So overcome with emotion and giddy with desire, the cat-girl thought that all that mattered at that moment was that he was holding her close and she never wanted him to let go.

"Oh, Dilandau," she moaned with pleasure as he continued to kiss and suck at her neck.

He had never heard his name uttered in such a way. It was strange and new but also enjoyable. Dilandau found that he was eager to hear her make more similar sounds and to find out if there were other interesting noises he could elicit from her if he touched her in certain places. His mind was working fast and he was already planning several creative ways for them to enjoy each other.

He had not felt this way in an unbearably long time and he had never expected this to happen again any time soon, and he especially never imagined being with her. But the world was a peculiar place and it turned out that fate had a weird sense of humor.

Merle had not expected such passion from him, and such effective techniques as well. He was clearly experienced and though he was a little out of practice, he was quickly remembering how to touch her. He knew exactly how to kiss her, and where to put just the right amount of pressure on her neck to give the most pleasure and to elicit the loudest of moans and meows from her. She was already enjoying herself immensely but she was hungry for more.

Becoming even more daring, she straddled his hips, held him close, and began rubbing herself against him eagerly. To her delight, she felt his body respond to her touch and she knew that he reciprocated her desire. She wanted to feel his bare skin on hers, to move against him even more intensely. She became even more impatient for them to do this properly, to finally give in to their desires.

Merle pulled away briefly and began to untie the sash of her already loosened robe, making her intentions perfectly obvious. Dilandau grabbed her hand suddenly, raised her chin so that she could meet his eyes, and gave her a serious look.

"Are you sure?" he asked gravely, even though it was clear that his desire matched hers.

Merle smiled, touched by his concern, and more determined than ever to be with him.

"Believe me," she replied earnestly, with unmistakable lust in her eyes, "I've wanted this for a long time."

Dilandau raised an eyebrow at her remark, a bit surprised by the revelation.

"You might regret this," he warned, still slightly apprehensive.

Merle smirked. "I won't if you won't," she said cheekily.


	3. Chapter 3

Crossing the Threshold

 _Note:_

 _I don't know if I'm getting better or worse at this, only that I'm getting bolder._

 _I don't even know how I managed to come up with this, but once I started I had to see the thing through somehow. And at least this is the penultimate chapter._

 _It may be repetitive at times because I don't really know a lot of synonyms for the verbs I want to use. I did try not to rely on cliches too much, and to give this scene a more distinct feel, one that's more unique to the characters. Since this take on their story involves a bit more emotion than the last time, I hope at least some of this hanky-panky feels earned and that it isn't completely out of the blue._

 _And as opposed to my previous attempt, I've added some dialogue, though I'm not sure if it makes this whole thing better or worse. It's an experiment, at best, and I will admit that it can get silly. But I doubt people are very coherent when engaged in such an activity anyway._

 _This mostly from Merle's point of view, though we still pretty much know how Dilandau's reacting. The next chapter (yes, there is more of this filth, I am sorry) will explore his thoughts and feelings a bit more. That's just my flimsy justification for making this part two chapters long. So if you can still bear to read that, there it'll be._

 _Read on at your own risk. And if you do, I really appreciate it._

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The rest of their clothes were discarded with ease and they climbed the bed and resumed their activities, finally free of any constraints. Merle kissed him fiercely, unable to get enough of this newly allowed pleasure, and so eager to have complete bodily contact. Dilandau reciprocated her passion and held her closer to him in an almost protective way. After a few more minutes of this, the cat-girl was sure that they were both ready to take it further.

She straddled his waist and then, she reached down with one hand and guided him into her as she slowly lowered herself onto him. She gasped as she did so, reveling in the sensation of him filling her. She only ever imagined this for many nights and she found that her expectations were immediately exceeded.

Dilandau had been holding her by the waist and Merle felt his grip tighten. They were very still for a breathless moment as they accustomed themselves to this new connection. But eager to continue, Merle began to grind her hips against Dilandau's and then, she leaned forward slightly and placed her hands on his chest to support herself. Her fingers dug into his flesh and she was gratified to hear him moan softly. Growing bolder, she raised her hips slightly and then sank back down on him. Enjoying the jolt of pleasure this caused, the excited cat-girl repeated this motion, again and again until she found a good rhythm.

Dilandau ran his hands up her warm skin and the soft puffs of fur on her shoulders, until he reached her hips and held her firmly. He then reached up to take one of her breasts knead it with his fingers, feeling the hard nipple and tweaking it lightly. Merle's satisfied moans and purrs proved the effectiveness of his technique. He made certain not to neglect the other breast and he took turns caressing each, much to his companion's delight.

The cat-girl's rhythm began to quicken its pace and she began to ride him harder. She would rise up higher before sinking back down more intensely, moaning and meowing as she did so, unable to control the noises she made. For a moment, she worried about this because in previous experiences, her audible enthusiasm had ruined the mood and abruptly put an end to the proceedings. But to Merle's immense relief and pleasure, Dilandau showed no signs of being dissuaded, and the cat-girl felt even more emboldened to continue. This was a first for her and she was determined to make the most of it.

She could feel his fingers dig into the soft flesh of her rear, and he also gave her tail a playful tug, causing loud moans to escape her lips as he touched her. Her hips ground hard against his, forcing him deeper and deeper into her. She was greedy in her lust and hearing his moans, she was glad that he returned her desire with equal fervor. She had not imagined the kind of sounds he would make and it thrilled her that he was so responsive.

Dilandau remained in a sitting position and crossed his legs for support. Merle wrapped her legs around his back and she kept her arms around his neck. He held her steady as she continued to ride him, and matched her movements with thrusts of his own while also somehow burying his face in her chest, and finding some way to expertly slide his tongue across Merle's breasts. As he did so, the cat-girl threaded her fingers through his hair and the place was filled with her satisfied sighs.

There were even times when Dilandau was able to nibble lightly on her ears. Merle had no idea how he managed any of this but she was not going to complain. Far, far from it. She slackened her pace briefly so that she could lean forward and kiss him, licking his face eagerly before resuming her frenzied movements.

"Merle, Merle…"

He whispered her name over and over, and the cat-girl felt overwhelmed with something even more than lust. They had barely spoken to each other before all this, and only exchanged the occasional awkward glance. But they had been living under the same roof for months, and there was always some kind of a bond developed by such close proximity over a certain period of time. And their complicated shared history added another element to all this development. And Merle was realizing now that there had been more in those glances and tense silences than either of them could have ever have anticipated. But this was hardly the best moment to analyze all that. For now, she would simply revel in this madness.

Merle held onto him tightly as she thrust herself upon him. She ground her hips against his once more before returning to her rhythmic thrusting.

"You're not alone, you're not alone," she whispered frantically as she moved up and down on him, "I'm here, I'm right here."

She was aware that she was probably saying nonsense but she couldn't think straight and she didn't care. All that mattered at that moment was him being inside her, and their sharing an intimate connection neither could have ever imagined. She was desperate to reassure him of her presence - as if that was even necessary at this point - but something about all this still felt surreal. She had to reiterate her resolve to dispel their loneliness and to somehow remind herself that this was really happening, that it was no longer just a result of her imaginative longings.

And her silly babbling only caused him to meet her thrusts with greater force, pushing deeper into her, and bringing her closer to the edge. As their pace accelerated, she pulled him even closer, her fingers digging into his skin as she clutched him tightly. They would leave marks on each other after this and somehow that was part of the thrill.

"Oh, _gods_ , Dilandau!" she cried out passionately as she sunk onto him one last time, her muscles contracting around him, and the room was filled with the sound of her completion.


	4. Chapter 4

Crossing the Threshold

 _Note:_

 _Happy Birthday, Dilandau!_

 _It's a fun date to post this because the story has come full circle. I posted it exactly one year before and now, it's reached its smutty conclusion._

 _Welcome to the final chapter of this filth. If you've made it this far, you have my utmost appreciation. Thank you for reading and indulging in my dirty madness up until this point._

 _In a weird way, I'm more ashamed of how cheesy this is than of how smutty it is. And some of the dialogue is pretty hilarious as well. But there were moments when I really wanted this to be character-specific smut, in the sense that it incorporated the particularities of the parties involved (like Merle's feline attributes and Dilandau's passion for fire). Hopefully, these helped to make this read not as generic smut fic. If anything, I hope these little touches made the whole thing more entertaining._

 _I don't know if I'll ever attempt this again. But that's what I said last time. At any rate, this is out of my system for now and I can focus on other things._

 _Read at your own risk? And I'd love to hear what you think of this second attempt at smut? Do you hate it? How much did you cringe? What did you do to block this from your memory? Please let me know._

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They were by no means finished.

But first, Merle needed some time to catch her breath and she leaned on Dilandau for support. He lay back, pulling her on top of him and they both began to recover from their exertions. Neither had anticipated such intensity and they needed a few moments to get their bearings. But as their pulse steadied, they felt their need for each other renewed. Merle gazed at her companion hungrily and leaned forward to press her lips to his, and he returned the kiss eagerly.

At length, the silver-haired young man changed their positions until the sated but still eager cat-girl was below him as he leaned over her. For a few moments, his fingers traced the contours of her body and Merle shivered at his touch. There was a fire in his eyes that was both arousing and slightly frightening. But Merle wanted desperately to see what all this would lead to.

He spread her legs and then entered her once more, thrusting hard. She moaned passionately, enjoying his enthusiasm, and put her arms around his neck as he moved faster. He leaned down, his palms flat on the bed on either side of Merle's face, watching her reactions to him. He grinned as he saw the excitement and pleasure in her face, sufficient motivation for him to proceed even more forcefully. He leaned forward and buried his face in her neck as he continued.

Merle threaded her fingers through Dilandau's hair before clutching at his back. As he hit a sweet spot inside her, the pleasure was so extreme that she could not help but scratch him. She felt him tense slightly but he did not cease his movements.

"I'm sorry," she said hastily, blushing nervously and inwardly cursing herself for getting carried away. Luckily, she had managed to prevent the full length of her claws from emerging but she was sure that she had still left some bloody marks on his pale skin and she dreaded his reaction.

"Don't be," he reassured her with a grin, slamming deeper into her. After all, he had gotten way worse injuries in significantly less pleasurable ways.

Merle was relieved and delighted that he had taken this so well, and reveled in his heightened passion, making her appreciation known through more enthusiastic moans and purrs. She was already imagining how she would lick his wounds as soon as she had the opportunity.

After a while, Dilandau adjusted their positions, raising the cat-girl's legs over his shoulders to allow deeper entry. A wave of intense pleasure ripped through Merle.

"Ah, _Dilandau_!"

As she cried out, the last syllable of his name became part of a prolonged meow. He raised an eyebrow at this, and realizing what she had just said, Merle blushed furiously and raised a hand to cover her mouth and muffle her cries. But her companion merely looked amused.

"Don't hold back," Dilandau told her, taking her hand away, "Be as loud as you want. Let me hear you."

Merle grinned at him and happily obliged, moaning and meowing louder than she had ever done before, thrilled at being finally to fully express her passion.

He was rough in a way no one had ever been and in just the way she had always wanted. No one had ever been able to match her animalistic appetite before, and she would certainly never have dreamed she would meet her match in him. It had been so long since she had felt needed and wanted in such a way and she was grateful that some absurd twist of fate had led to this blissful encounter. Merle resolved not to question it, not when it brought about such unexpected ecstasy.

Dilandau felt more alive than he had in an age.

It had been so long since he had been even remotely close to anyone. And now, this unforeseen development ignited a fire in him that he had thought he had lost forever.

After years of feeling nothing, there he was, with her, inside her, connected to her in the most intimate way possible. He would never have imagined this, not after living so long in shadows and emptiness, surviving but not thriving. All the Fate Alteration experiments had taken their toll on him and even when he was finally separated from Celena Schezar, he had not felt truly alive. Only lost and alone, an aimless wanderer in a world where he had no relevance, no role to play since the fall of Zaibach. Most days he wondered why he had been brought back at all, what purpose it served to have him maintain such a paltry existence.

But all that was forgotten, at least for tonight. Because at that moment, he mattered to someone and she mattered to him. He had been surprised to find in her a loneliness and desperation that had almost matched his. She had always seemed so carefree and exuberant. But he knew now that everyone wore different masks to hide their despair.

Dilandau made a sound almost like a growl as he plunged in and out of her heat. He saw the look of pure rapture in her face as their bodies moved. In his experience, he had never had so eager a partner and he found that he was enjoying himself even more immensely. Merle held him tighter, pulling him deeper inside her, and he thrust with greater force until she moaned and whimpered even more passionately.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" she cried out and it was the answer to all her questions.

Was this really happening? Was it even better than she had ever imagined? Did she really want him? Was he the only one she wanted? Did she wish this would never end?

Merle threw her head back as she felt her muscles begin to contract around him. She screamed his name as she came, and she felt him follow her after a few final thrusts.

Sated and exhausted, they sank back into bed, and Dilandau rolled off her until they were lying side by side and trying to catch their breath. They didn't speak; so much had been revealed already.

Neither of them knew what would happen beyond this night, only that this was not the last time they would be engaged in such a pleasurable activity. They would not allow this to be the only time; that much was certain. But how long any of this would last, they did not care to dwell upon just yet. They would simply enjoy each other's warmth for as long as they could.

Merle sighed and snuggled up to Dilandau, laying her head on his chest. He put an arm around her absently.

"Whatever this is, it's real and it's good," Merle thought as she listened to his beating heart, "Nothing else matters."


End file.
